According to researchers, most inhabitants live to at least the age of 90. The Nicoya Peninsula Blue Zone, in addition to aligning with our Wellness Pura Vida strategy, are important as a driver of wellness tourism throughout the country, highlighting the importance of creating authentic travel experiences. The Caribbean nation is economically secure and has excellent health care. The Tortuga Islands are offshore and are a frequent destination for snorkeling trips, even from other parts of the peninsula. The Power of Nutrition (Part 3): The Blue Zones Physicians The term Blue Zone was first used in a 2005 National Geographic cover story entitled The Secret of Long Life written by a man named Dan Buettner. "The sense of community, shared purpose and celebration and appreciation for life in all its forms allows for a way of thriving that can even be seen today to have a connection to vitality and mitochondrial health." Even in areas like Nicoya, this has been replaced with the ease of processed meals and fast food (although there are very few fast food options in Nicoya in my experience). Blue Zones, those special places on earth where people live longer and healthier lives, first came to prominence in the ground-breaking book by Dan Buettner, Blue Zones. How many blue zones are in Costa Rica? - 2023 Butterflies in Costa Rica The Best Places to See Them, Irazu Volcano Visit the Highest Volcano in Costa Rica, 20 Free Things to Do in Costa Rica That Youll Love, Costa Rica Rental Car Discount Save Up to 20%, The feeling of a sense of purpose in life. If you want to really embrace the Nicoya Peninsula blue zone vibe, head to any small village in the area. Of course, there is still a desire for success (especially in the cities) but in general, the priorities are shifted. Perhaps youll also figure out your lifes purpose, which studies show contributes to a longer and higher quality life, and make the effort to reconnect with family whether youve brought them with you or will see them again once youre home. Black beans contain high doses of antioxidants and they are eaten for almost every meal among Nicoyans (and most Costa Ricans). However you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent. In other words, it lives longer than the average global life expectancy. Nicoya. Join 19k+ in receiving Expert travel advice, news & promotions! Dan Buettner is really the man behind Blue Zones, so I suggest you start your interest with him. LIKED THIS? It is not unusual for several generations to gather on a regular basis for lively gatherings. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. It includes the five cantons of the Nicoya Peninsula: Hojancha, Nandayure, Carrillo, Santa Cruz and Nicoya. Within Nosaras lush forest and a three-minute walk to Guiones Beach, this small hotel has a daily yoga class plus private yoga instruction, surf lessons, a large pool, hammocks, and a juice and coffee bar. Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula is a Blue Zone for long life | Enchanting So, having extra-hard water may help keep Nicoyans' hearts strong, and longer. Costa Rica is one of the few tropical countries where its safe to drink tap water even for foreigners and theres no need to buy plastic water bottles. By comparison, a person in the United States can reasonably expect to live to just 77, according to federal census data. Everywhere you go in Costa Rica, youll hear pura vida! and soon feel the freedom to adopt the pura vida lifestyle yourself. The Nicoya Peninsula, in Costa Rica, is one of them, . The gateway to the Nicoya Peninsula is the beach town of Tamarindo on the west coast, which is very popular with international travelers. Nicoya, the "Blue Zone" in Costa Rica The Costa Rica News I also suggest watching his TED Talk. Thanks to the peninsulas reputation as one of these Blue Zones, Nicoya has become a haven for digital detox. Staples of the traditional Nicoya diet include homemade corn tortillas, black beans, white rice, a variety of squash, yams, papaya, bananas, and pejibayes. The world has a number of Blue Zones, areas where the locals live healthier and longer lives. Nicoya - Wikipedia It is the reason why the founder of Omega Institute set up Blue Spirit in Nosara and a Longevity center. Nicoya: the secret to a longer life - NATIVU blog Centenarians seem to have enjoyed physical work of all their lives. We hope you love the Blue Zone Costa Rica stays we recommend. Surprisingly, happiness and keeping a focus on family are two of the main components. This has paid off, with Costa Rica frequently scoring high in world happiness and environmental rankings. He worked with several notable anthropolgists, dieticians, historians, and geneticists to identify and further understand what contributes to a long lifespan. In these areas people have low rates of chronic diseases, so they tend to live longer than in other places. Community. We know we should include exercise into all parts of our lives (not just an hour at the gym). My fourth investigation into exactly what our Blue Zone folks eat has left this dietitian, well, intrigued. Going down the west coast from Tamarindo youll find several beach towns, most notably yoga center Nosara and surfers paradise Santa Teresa. Each region has its own diet, types of exercise, and community structure, but each has specific elements in common - all starting with a sense of purpose. The world has 5 recognized Blue Zones (as determined by the authority of National Geographic ). Face-to-Face Conversations. It's also one of the happiest places in Central America: Costa Ricans report a high level of life satisfaction and the country has the highest literacy rate in Latin America. They also practice good physical and mental health. For most of their lives, Nicoyan centenarians ate a traditional Mesoamerican diet highlighted with the three sisters of agriculture: squash, corn, and beans. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Meat, fish, and poultry only make up 5% of the usual diet. What to Incorporate Into Your Diet to Eat Like a 100 Year Old Nicoyan It is home to some of the most active, hard-working, and friendliest people on earth. - save 10% Plus other perks . Read more below about the lessons that Nicoya, Costa Rica can teach you about longevity. The five blue zones are: Loma Linda, California; Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Ikaria, Greece; and the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. Sign up for theBLUE ZONES free weekly email where webring youexclusive interviews, cutting edge longevity news, and fresh tips for living longer, better. Nicoyans attribute much of their longevity to social values of faith and family. Blue Zones: Why Residents in the Nicoya Peninsula Live Longer than 90 Years The agreement was signed by the Vice President of Costa Rica, Ana Helena Chacn, as well as ministries and institutions of the government and the mayors of the cantons of Nicoya Peninsula: Nandayure, Hojancha, Carrillo, Santa Cruz and Nicoya. If you would like to be near things but get a bit more of a feel for traditional Nicoya life while also enjoying a bit of the touristy perks (surfing, fun restaurants etc.) The information and example set by the inhabitants of the Blue Zone of Nicoya are highly valuable, and some of the life habits can be emulated, planting a blue seed throughout the country. He then went on release a book The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who Have Lived the Longest in 2008. Several of Nicoyas beaches like those in the Ostional National Wildlife Reserve are nesting grounds for Kemps Ridley, green, and leatherback turtles. They have a simplistic lifestyle - Nicoyans ordinarily make a living as farmers and or cattle ranchers, and this consistent activity is said to be one of the reasons for their longevity. Blue Zones Nicoya desarrolla alimentos, bebidas y suplementos inspirados en los centenarios de la. While a Blue Zone indicates a hotspot of healthy longevity, it also presents a challenge of how to extend these benefits throughout the population outside of these redoubts. People from Nicoya enjoy an ample dose of Vitamin D. They spend most of their time outside tending to the land and enjoy a healthy relationship with surrounding nature. And a breakfast rich with antioxidants helps to protect a persons cells from disease. These commitments also included mechanisms to develop best practices in health promotion in the "five blue cantons" of the Peninsula, strengthening support networks, and incentivizing the recuperation of life lessons and traditions. Due to the Nicoya Peninsula's location in Central America, the area has an abundance of warm days with tons of sunlight. Blue Zones Nicoya naci en 2014, una empresa 100% costarricense, que durante los ltimos 6 aos ha sido destacada por la investigacin de alimentos locales de la Zona Azul de Nicoya-Guanacaste. Changing the American diet and culture around the food we eat can help save lives. Here you will find some of the most beautiful beaches and hotels in Costa Rica, along with lush tropical forests perfect for hiking or horseback riding. As indicated by the World Health Organization, "active or positive aging is the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age". Their traditional diet of fortified maize and beans may be the best nutritional combination for longevity the world has ever known. Were Thomas (the German) and Sarah (the US-er). And now, it's a well-known fact: Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula, dubbed as a "high-longevity island," is one of the world's rare blue zones - one of only five original regions, joined by Icaria (Greece), Okinawa (Japan), Lima Linda (California, USA), and Sardinia (Italy). Now is the time for cities like Chicago to learn from the five Blue Zones throughout the world like Nicoya, Costa Rica. We do not need to wait for our cities of residence to adopt the principles for healthier living outlined in the Blue Zones Project. This provides the nutrition they need to work hard during the day. Why Nicoya is Considered One of the Anti-Aging Zones,,, In terms of a definition, these zones are geographical areas with a high concentration of long-lived populations, who frequently reach ninety or one hundred years of age. Over the last several months, the world has mourned the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives. Hi! The most amazing part about people who live in Nicoya, Costa Rica is that many of them live without medication or disability. All of the international experts agreed that the factors that make healthy longevity possible must be communicated worldwide, in order to reflect on the implications of Blue Zones, unique geographical areas with a high concentration of inhabitants who live to ninety or one hundred years of age, whose aging process is positive, and most importantly, deliberate and active. It consists of 100 recipes with ingredients used by those who live in Nicoya, Costa Rica and the other four Blue Zones. There are five areas of the world that meet the qualifications of Blue Zone as defined by Buettner. Eco-tourism is a natural must in this out-of-this-world scenario, where everything that happens is in a quiet, lovely pace. The 9 Secrets Boosting a Long Life in Nicoya, Costa Rica: They have a strong sense of purpose No matter how old they are, Nicoyans have a strong sense of purpose, a reason to live longer. Some of the roads in Nicoyas interior and south arent paved, so the deeper you go into the peninsula the more you may prefer to fly (for example, its a 20-minute flight from San Jos to the tiny Tambor airport in the south). The most southerly point is Cabo Blanco Reserve and the south coast also has the town of Tambor. You may opt-out by. Book a transfer from your hotel, opt for a shuttle or public bus, or take a domestic flight to one of the peninsulas larger towns. Offering barefoot luxury on Playa Langosta this family-owned boutique hotel is a 15-minute walk from downtown Tamarindo. Many of us in Western countries know we need to eat less junk and add more natural food to our diets. The sustainable and equitable promotion of the long-living population of seniors and the establishment of a cultural agenda aimed at strengthening sustainable, rural, community tourism stood out among the commitments made. The chance to do yoga in an open-air pavilion on the beach is not to be missed! Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Enjoying good health conditions shouldn't depend on economic or technological factors, but rather on protective factors that are evident and proven in the region. We're going to focus on the last one, mostly because it hits close to home. Rhuigi Villaseor Kept His Foot On The Gas. As of now, there are 5 blue zones: Icaria, Greece. Another is a focus on family and a special ability to listen and laugh. He then had the idea to research areas in the world with the longest lifespan. I feel lucky to have found this information, though the credit doesn't belong to me, but rather to the older residents. Jorge Vindas, Costa Ricas Blue Zone expert, says that its a combination of good genes, healthy food and water, regular low-intensity exercise, few vices, a strong connection to family, putting importance on religion or spirituality, and having a sense of purpose. Nicoya, Costa Rica is one of those unique locations where lifestyle, diet, and low stress have dramatically bettered the lives of Ticos and expats alike. Is it Something in the Water? - ABC News Rare species like pumas, ocelots, and margay cats make their home here too. The template laid out in the Blue Zones Project: natural foods, daily movement, community, and sense of purpose, can help anyone develop stronger immune systems, so they can live healthier and longer lives. We use cookies for analytics tracking and advertising from our partners. Alternatively, Blue. These factors are present, to some degree, in the other four Blue Zones in the world, according to world experts who participated in the World Meeting in Nicoya in mid-November. 15 Reasons Expats Love Living In The Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica The climate in the Blue Zone is very mild, which may help to protect against diseases. Some sea turtles have even lived to age 150. Results were also shared from the research carried out by the demographer Luis Rosero and Dr. Elizabeth Lopez, both from Costa Rica, who made significant contributions on the subject of healthy longevity. Physical activity, diet, good mineral-rich water, friends, a satisfying job, eating light in the evening, and a "plan de vida" are the other aspects. Look for howler and capuchin monkeys, parrots and parakeets, and bigger birds like herons and hawks. Nicoyan water has the countrys highest calcium content, perhaps explaining the lower rates of heart disease, as well as stronger bones and fewer hip fractures. Costa Rica is generally a healthy country because its government decided that education, healthcare, and protecting the environment are more important than funding its armed forces and it abolished its army in 1948. These cantons are: Carillo, Hojancha, Nicoya, Santa Cruz, and Nandoyure. Swimming holes dot the peninsula too, including beneath the Montezuma waterfall. It requires descending 17 yards down a ladder to see cave formations that resemble fried eggs, popcorn, roses, and shark teeth.